INTERNATIONAL RULES SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT:THE MAIN talking points at yesterday's announcement of the Ireland International Rules squad were the number of new players introduced and the selection of David Gallagher as goalkeeper, given that he hasn't played championship for Meath for three years.
Manager Seán Boylan explained that the demands of the international game meant it was hard to find someone who was comfortable going against instinct.
"We tried a number of goalkeepers," Boylan explained. "David has played intercounty for Meath until a back injury meant that he lost his place. You have to go by what you see. Some of the lads get the ball and hold the ball, as you would, but in this game that's going to get you nailed."
Goalkeeping has always been a hard call for managers, and most have been happy to select just one and depute an outfield player to take over if necessary.
This has been in keeping with the view of the international goalkeeper as a seventh defender and the most successful players in the position in recent years, Declan O'Keeffe and Stephen Cluxton, have played it that way. O'Keeffe is retired and Cluxton has never made himself available for the overseas Tests.
In the second Test of the 2005 series, Down goalkeeper Mickey McVeigh, who had struggled with the game's demands, gave way to Dublin defender Bryan Cullen, who performed well in the position for the time that remained.
Cullen and Down's Benny Coulter are two players who had indicated they didn't want to be involved again with the international series after the controversies of 2005 and '06, but both have had a change of heart.
Club fixtures may yet have an impact on who makes the journey, with Coulter, Kerry's Tommy Walsh and Aaron Kernan all having to travel later than the official party. Walsh's club, Kerins O'Rahilly's, are due to play a county semi-final against Dingle this weekend and, if successful, his participation isn't certain.
In that event the likely standby alternative would be Armagh's Ronan Clarke, whose club Pearse Óg face Kernan's Crossmaglen in Sunday's county final and who has experience of the international series.
Among the 17 newcomers to the international series is Derry's Paddy Bradley, who was publicly angry over his late omission from the 2005 travelling party and will be keen to prove a point.
Leighton Glynn becomes Wicklow's first representative since Kevin O'Brien, who starred for Ireland in the 1990 series win in Australia and who was the only player from that series to be selected again when the Tests resumed eight years later.
Glynn also follows in the footsteps of another Wicklow player with a distinguished international career, Pat O'Byrne.
All-Ireland champions Tyrone have four players, including Seán Cavanagh, who captains Ireland but is the only one to have played before, Enda McGinley, after an outstanding year at centrefield, and the McMahon brothers, Joe and Justin, who played major roles in the county's metamorphosis from early championship departures into top team in the country.
Opponents Kerry also have four members of the panel, assuming Walsh travels. Kieran Donaghy and Aidan O'Mahony played two years ago, but Killian Young is a newcomer.
Young Mayo centrefielder Tom Parsons is his county's only representative, but Connacht champions Galway have two: full back Finian Hanley, who has impressed marking big opponents, including Donaghy, and Michael Meehan, a bit of a surprise, as his previous experience in 2005 was disappointing and his skilful technique can be hard to impose against the International Rules tackle.
Cork also have two players selected: vice-captain Graham Canty, who has been one of the best Irish international players in recent years and who captained his country in 2003, and Pearse O'Neill, who brings physique and athleticism to the panel.
Dublin's Bernard Brogan gets his chance after an injury-wrecked summer.
"I'd like to think that we have learned," said Boylan, "and can put our game together in such a way that we can be really competitive and really put it up to the Australians."
